In 1980, Bandit and all the other major characters made their triumphant return in Smokey and the Bandit II. In light of Smokey and the Bandit’s tremendous success, it was inevitable that there would be a sequel. It ended up second only to Star Wars on 1977’s biggest hits list and spawned a wave of imitators on both film (Smokey Bites The Dust) and television (The Dukes of Hazzard). However, the film ended up grossing over $126 million in the U.S.
In fact, most of the people involved thought of it as a quickie film aimed at the drive-in market, and it was made quickly on a modest budget of $4.5 million. This cinematic territory had mined successfully throughout the 1970’s by hits like Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and The Gumball Rally. As a result, he made a comeback and starred in further comedy hits like The Toy.Ĭontrary to popular belief, Smokey and the Bandit did not invent the car-chase movie. It was his first film performance in seven years and his wickedly funny performance as the hot-blooded and blustery Sheriff Justice made a whole new generation of viewers aware of his comedic skills. However, the true acting triumph in the film belonged to Jackie Gleason. As history revealed, the sparks that flew between the pair were very real, and they became a romantic item after making this film. Fields also generated a memorable chemistry with Reynolds. Sally Field also turned in a spunky performance as the neurotic but spirited Carrie. Jerry Reed was charmingly ‘down-home’ as Snowman and also provided many of the country-and-western tunes on the film’s soundtrack. The film also benefited from an array of colorful supporting performances. No matter how silly the film got, his charisma kept the viewer riveted to the screen. As a result of this movie’s success, Needham went on to direct many more Burt Reynolds films.Īnother important key to the film’s staying power is Burt Reynold’s self-assured leading man charm. Director Hal Needham was a stunt choreographer before he made his directing debut with this film, and the experience showed: the chases were expertly filmed, perfectly timed, and had an over-the-top, cartoonish sense of inspiration that still never fails to make a viewer’s jaw hit the floor. Simply put, the chase scenes in this film are to car-chase cinema what The Three Stooges’ routines are to slapstick comedy. The car chases took up a large portion of Smokey and the Bandit’s running time, but they were truly worth it. As Bandit, Snowman and Carrie race for the finish line, they go through an endless array of increasingly insane car chases and leave plenty of wrecked cop cars in their wake. Justice swears vengeance upon Bandit and gives chase to him and Snowman, enlisting the help of every lawman along the way to stop the fast-driving duo before they make it back to Atlanta. In the process, Bandit angers the groom’s father, who happens to be the venerable Sheriff Buford T. However, they make one big mistake on their way out: Bandit decides to give a ride to Carrie, a young woman who has decided to run away from her wedding at the last moment. Bandit takes the bet, enlisting his good-ol’-boy buddy Snowman to help him transport the goods in a truck while Bandit rides flank in his beautiful, souped-up Black Trans-Am.īandit and Snowman make their way to Texarkana and pick up the load of beer with ease. These two colorful entrepreneurs bet Bandit that he cannot transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta in 18 hours. As a result, he unwittingly talks himself into a bet with Big Enos and Little Enos.
However, Bandit has the bad habit of talking as fast as he drives.
The end result was Smokey and the Bandit, a film that became one of the top hits of the 1970’s.īurt Reynolds is in rare form as Bandit, an ultra-macho truck driver who has become a legend throughout the South for his amazing driving skills and his ability to elude the law. In 1977, he decided to mix his star power with one of the most successful film genres of the 1970’s, the car chase movie.
With films like White Lightning and The Longest Yard, he had become one of the biggest movie stars in the entire world. “What we have here is a total lack of respect for the law!”īy the mid-1970’s it seemed like Burt Reynolds could do no wrong at the box office. Smokey and the Bandit (series) Synopsis of Movie